Escape From Gondolin
by Zenor
Summary: The story of a young Elf who escapes from one hidden city simply to find another
1. Chapter 1:Escape from the hidden City

Chapter 1: Escape from Gondolin *Tolkien owns all places and charcters  
Gossip swept across the city like a burning fire. The human brothers Hour and Hurin were going to be released and set free. Once Sinal had heard of this she thought that meant she could leave the city. She waited for the news that everyone could come and go as they pleased, but it never came. Several days passed and she knew that if she were going to escape the city she would have to do it soon. "Darenth" Sinal called throughout the house "Darenth where are you?" "I am here mother," Darenth answered. And stepped out of his room. He was about 5' 6" with blue eyes and golden hair. He had a sword slung around his waist that was long enough to touch the floor when he walked. He was only 15 but had been trained from birth with a sword and bow. "Darenth.Get your clothes together." Sinal told him with a concerned look on her face. "But mother why?" Darenth asked curiously. "We are leaving, Darenth," She said bluntly. Darenth went to speak again but Sinal cut him off in mid-word. "We are going to leave this place. And go to the north to a place called Fel-Dunel it means the hidden wood." "The hidden wood? The only time I ever heard that name was when-" Sinal cut him off once again "When your father was alive. Yes I know he had the instructions of how to get there hidden on a scroll." She held the piece of paper out to Darenth as a small smile crept across her face. "Where did you find this!"? Darenth exclaimed. "Your father had it hidden in the sheath of his sword." She explained. "But mother." Darenth said only to be cut off by his mother. "Get your things we will leave in a hour."  
  
Night crept over the city slower than any night before. Sinal stood in a long dark cloak outside her house with her son Darenth. The both looked at the sun as at set over the mountains that surrounded there soon to be former home. Sinal walked across the street and behind a tall house where they met several people in cloaks. "Wait here Darenth." Sinal walked up to the cloaked men and talked with them. Several minutes passed and she handed on of them a bag of gold. The man stepped aside revealing a hole someone had dug threw the rock. "Right through there." Sinal nodded to the man and turned back to Darenth. "Come on this way" She motioned towards the crack. "Here goes nothing." Darenth quietly thought to himself. He squeezed through the hole with little trouble and his mother followed. They crept through tunnel after tunnel. Pieces of discarded tools were all over the ground. The silence of the tunnel was filled with a thump as Darenth tripped over a bundle of rope. Darenth quickly recovered back onto all fours grabbed the rope and threw it around himself and began to crawl again. He could hear his mother snickering behind him. The stench of dead air lightened and Darenth knew this tunnel was almost to its end. "We are almost there mother." Darenth whispered. Sinal nodded back to him. "A dead end?" Darenth whispered to his mother. "No it is not a real wall only meant to look like it." Darenth nodded and hit the wall with his fist and watched it crumble around his hand. "We are out!" Darenth exclaimed. "Yes.we are." Sinal said with a sigh of relief. Darenth looked up at the sky it was orange when they left now only darkness could be seen. "Come Darenth we must hurry we must make it across the river Sirion before day break." Sinal exclaimed as she began to run to the west.  
  
This is a bad idea Darenth thought. The night sky was still as dark as when they had left that dank tunnel and they were still rushing. They had run all night to reach the river Sirion and they were finally here. Now they were tying some logs together with the rope Darenth had found in the tunnel. "There, all done." Sinal exclaimed. Darenth looked the raft up and down. That thing couldn't float on a puddle much less Sirion. "Give me a hand!" Sinal said as she dragged the raft out to the river. Darenth threw his pack and his sword onto it and grabbed the raft. "Good idea." Sinal said tossing her pack onto the raft. They put the raft into the stream and it stayed a float. "I stand corrected," Darenth muttered. They both hoped on the raft and Darenth grabbed a pole and pushed the raft around the rocks. "Careful." Sinal cautioned. "Yes mother." Darenth pushed the raft until they were halfway out into the river. Then he heard a splash in the air as a strong current slammed them against the rocks. Darenth turned to see his mother was gone. "MOTHER!" Darenth shouted but no answer came. He dove in and swam around the raft but saw no one. The sky was still pitch black. He pulled himself back up onto the raft and finished pushing the raft across the river. Darenth got off the raft and grabbed the packs and his sword. He looked back at the river. The sun was beginning to rise and he was getting ready to fall. He began to walk north until he found a spot where the rocks coved in. He threw the packs into the cove and shut his eyes. Tears began to dance down his cheeks he tried to keep the idea out of his head. He held the scroll of the location of the city in his hand and quietly drifted off to sleep. 


	2. Chapter 2:The Long Road

Chapter 2: The Long Road *Tolkien owns all characters and places  
The black cloak he wore only made him warmer as it absorbed the fading sunlight. The sky was beginning to darken into nightfall and Darenth felt a cold come to him. He opened his eyes and stretched his arms. He put one foot on the ground and stretched his legs. With that he hoped up to his feet and grabbed his sword and his pack. He looked back down onto the ground and saw the lone pack and the thoughts of his mother surged through his head like water rushing from a river. He shook the thought from his mind and grabbed her pack. As he went to pick it up the surprising weight of it knocked him off balance. "What was she carrying a supply of bricks with her?" Darenth thought out loud. He sat down and opened her pack and listed the things he took out: Food, Water, Papers, and what looked to be several thousand gold pieces. Darenths eyes shot open when he saw the gold shimmering in the fading sunlight. He stuck his hand into the pile and felt something. He pulled a long Elvin knife, closer to a short sword than a knife. Grabbing the knife he put it on his belt with his sword and stood up. He left most of the papers, he didn't think they were very important, and some of the food, mostly the bread that looked like it had seen better not so green days. He emptied the rest of the things into his pack, which was now packed full and looked up at the sky. After standing there for a few moments he turned around to the north and began to run in that direction. He ran non-stop for about two or three hours and pulled out some bread and ate it as he ran. Once he had his fill he threw the bread to the side and continued to run at a steady pace.  
  
The sound of a high-pitched scream filled the air. Darenth stopped immediately and looked around. He crouched down on one knee and dropped his pack along with his bow and arrows. He put his hand on the hilt of his sword and slowly drew it. He heard the sound again, it sounded like laughter, but not that of a human or an elf. He slowly stood up and saw what he hoped wasn't true. The two orcs stood over a small fire behind two rocks roasting some dead creature. He walked silently to the two rocks to get a better look. Even if they had noticed him they wouldn't have cared. Satisfied they weren't going to bother him Darenth turned around to walk right into the third orc. "Elf." muttered the orc and some other talk that wasn't understandable by an elf ear. Before he could respond the orc pushed him against the rocks and drew its sword. Darenth raised his sword just in time to block the orcs first strike. He dropped his left hand down to the hilt of the short sword and drew it. He pushed the orc's sword back with his and lunged the knife forward into the beast's chest. The orc let out a howl and fell to one knee than onto its back releasing the knife from its new sheath in the creature's chest. Darenth instinctively turned to meet the other two orcs who were still looking for their weapons. One orc grabbed a flaming stick from the fire and swung it at Darenth. He brought his right hand down and let the flaming stick hit the blunt of the side of Elvin sword. Going with the force of the blow, Darenth swung around and brought the glimmering blade of the knife around across the orc's back. The creature let out a pained yell that was silenced with a jab from the long Elvin sword. The third grabbed its sword and looked up in time to see the knife cut through the air into his eye. Darenth looked around making sure there was no more lurking somewhere. Satisfied that he hadn't missed any he pulled his knife from the orc's skull and wiped both of the blades clean and sheathed them. He walked over to his pack and picked it up. He looked to the north and began his run once again.  
  
"All these hills are starting to look the same." Darenth thought. After several hours of running he came to what looked like a fork in the river. He looked one part went North East another part went South, the way he had come, and the last part went North West. He took the map and looked at it. "I need to cross the river that goes to the North West." Darenth mumbled. He looked over at the sun beginning to rise. "First thing tomorrow." He thought looking for another cove in the rock wall. Finally he found one and threw his pack in it and lay down and shut his eyes and felt the warmth of the sun climb his body. 


	3. Chapter 3:By The Grace Of Ulmo

Chapter 3: By the Grace of Ulmo *Tolkien owns all characters and places  
He could feel the sun slowly climb his Elvin cloak. He awoke with a startle and realized he has slept through the day that night and into the next morning. He felt very refreshed and stood up and stretched. After looking around for a few moments he found a tree that he cut down with his sword. He did this to two other and cut them in half's. He tied them together and made another raft. "Be a miracle if this thing holds." Darenth murmured out and then snickered. It didn't have to be a work of art just get him across the river. He looked up at the sky and saw dark clouds starting to gather around him. "Hmm.Rain," he thought out loud. "The river will be uncross-able if I don't leave right now." He hoped on the raft and pushed out into the river. It slammed against several rocks and should have sunk but did not. He pushed it farther and harder than before. He was more than half way across when a piece of the dying wood broke off from the back and the raft began to tilt. "The shore is so close," Having little time before the raft completely fell apart he grabbed his pack and threw it as hard as he could towards the shore. It hit the solid ground with a *Thump*. "Good," he thought "At least all my food wont get soaked." He dove in towards the shore and began to swim hard. He swam as hard as he could until he hit a pickup in the current and it slammed his right side into a rock. He grabbed the rock and pushed off it towards the shore until he could finally stand again. He stood up and walked a shore soaked with, what felt like, a broken rib. He clenched his side with his left arm and rubbed his left shoulder with his right arm. "I must have hurt my shoulder when I threw that pack." He started "Speaking of which."  
  
He began to walk towards his pack when he heard a squeal of dieing animal. He walked behind a column of rocks and saw the dead spinal lizard. The lizard lay on the ground its poisoned filled blood spilled all over the ground. And the spear that did the slaying dipped itself into the blood covering the tip of it in the venom. The spear was held by a orc who stood six feet tall with broad shoulders a shield clenched in his left hand the venom covered spear in the right. "Little far from home aren't you elf?" the orc managed to slur out before being cut off from another voice from behind Darenth. "What should we do with him boss?" Said the second orc. Darenth turned quickly to see this one was about as tall as the other but carried a sword instead of a spear. "Kill him, what else would we do with him you idiot?" Yelled the first orc as he charged Darenth. Darenth reached for his sword and swung around and deflected the spear and swung out his leg and knocked the first orc to the side. The second orc let out a battle cry and swung his sword at Darenths mid section. The sword went through the cloak and sliced a gash into Darenth's back. Darenth let out a scream of pain and fell to one knee. He realized he was vulnerable and grabbed his knife and unsheathed turn and let it go in one motion. The orc was dead by the time it had figured out what Darenth had done. He struggled back to his legs and turned to see the second orc. "A elf that doesn't use a bow.how odd." said the orc almost trying to taunt him. Before Darenth could answer a bang of thunder rung out and it began to pour rain. "Don't ponder it to long orc. You wont be alive much long to think such things." Said Darenth with a smile on his face. Blood trickled down his back and out of his cloak. The orc threw his shield at Darenth and lunged forth with his spear. Darenth raised his sword and faced the blunt side of the blade toward the shield and placed his hand on the other blunt side to back it up. The shield clashed off Darenths sword and flew off to the side. Darenth moved to the side and lowered his sword down to the approaching spear. He wasn't fast enough as the venom covered blade sliced across Darenths side. Darenth continued to bring his sword down only now into the orc's back. The orc felt Darenth's sword enter his back and then nothing as it fell lifeless to the ground. Darenth dropped his sword and tore off his cloak and rapped it around his back and side. "That should slow the bleeding" Darenth thought. He stumbled over to where his pack lay and picked it up. It was hard to lift the poison was already taking effect and slowing him greatly. He turned back around and began to walk north East.  
  
He made it about a mile before he fell to one knee. He tried to raise himself up but the raindrops as gentle as they were before were like bricks now. His second leg fell to his knee and dropped the pack to one side. He looked up at the sky and the rain fell on his face. "Strange." He thought, "Rain drops so gentle and harmless now fell like a thousand rocks pouring from the endless skies." His thoughts trailed off. Then one thought filled his head, his mother. "Forgive me." He thought, "I have failed you." With that thought he could bear the wait no more. The combination of the loss of blood and the poison had taken its toll. He fell face first into the wet grass. There he lay for what he thought what was an eternity. As Darenth felt him self-slipping out of time he heard a thundering voice. "Do not give up Darenth Son of Dar-Nuth, They will be here soon." And then all was quite. "Who.. Who is there?" Darenth barely managed to say. "I am the one who kept you raft a float. They call me the Dweller of the Deep.But I must go now your rescuers have arrived." And with that last sound from the thundering voice all was quite. "Hey guys look at this!" A voice yelled, "I think I found what happened to those orcs." Darenth could not pick his head up all he could feel was some sort of liquid being poured into his mouth. He swallowed it and felt himself slip out of consciousness. 


	4. Chapter 4: The Elves Of FelDunel

Chapter 4: The Elves Of Fel-Dunel *Tolkien owns all characters and places  
He felt nothing but cold for as long as he could remember. Every time he woke back up more fluid was given to him. He did not mind taking it; it helped to numb the pain. He had also over heard one of them say that it would help to slow the poison. He looked up at the sky now as his eyes opened. He saw the sun it was so magnificent dancing in the sky with the clouds. The sun was warm on his face; it comforted him. Then he saw the jug come to his lips and he liquid was poured into it the last sound he heard was. "Were here, give him a little extra so he does not see where we are." The voice drifted off, as did he. And he felt the sun's comforting warmth being dragged away.  
  
"God this guy is heavy." Said Zello. Zello stood about five and a half feet tall with green eyes and black straight hair that touched his shoulder pads. "Stop." Said a tall elf raising his hand as they came to a dead end. "What is it Celenas?" The Elf raised his hand and murmured a few words in an unknown tongue and the dead end of the path opened and they continued on. "Zello you don't know your own home!?" Snickered the elf carrying Darenth. "I'm walking backwards Haref! You should know that I am facing you!" Exclaimed Zello. Zello was carrying Darenth under his arms as to not disturb the wound on his back. While Haref carried Darenths legs and the boards they tied under him to keep him straight. "Whose idea was it to tie the board under him again?" Asked Zello already knowing the answer. "It was mine, you know that." Said Algale as she looked over her shoulder. "Why does she get to bring up the rear every time?" Asked Zello. "Because you would forget to make sure we are not being followed." Said Celenas who had been quite until now with a smile in his voice. "Why bother checking! We have to go through twenty-three doors and the Gel-Thak to even get to Fel- Dunel." Exclaimed Zello but there was no answer from Celenas. Instead he ventured ahead looking for the next door. The tunnel narrowed and widened over and over. It was meant to make you think you were lost. They were many turns very often and most of them ended in death. They continued down the slanted hallways for quite some time. They Opened doors, and hit symbols to open hidden passageways and continued onward, farther and farther into the cold dark earth. The doors always closed behind them, sometimes to quickly. Until at last they came to what seemed like any other fork; the passageway went left or right but forward. There they stopped. Celenas raised his hands and placed them on the wall and it parted and he and the rest of the hunting party known as Fels continued onward. This passageway remained straight for a long time and never parted. It was very narrow and has many holes in the walls both high and low. "You know.." Zello said breaking the lasting silence of footsteps. "I heard that those holes were made when Fel- Dunel was founded. I heard they would go into passageways behind those walls and stick their spears through the walls into unsuspecting orcs who were lucky enough to get this far." Before anyone could comment the passageway opened up into a magnificent hall. Two steel doors parted a little allowing them entrance into the room filled with torches that burned a white flame. "Ahh the Gel-Thak. Home sweet home." Said Haref with a smile on his face knowing what was coming. A tall elf approached them; he stood about six feet tall with brown eyes and long golden hair that came down to his golden lined shoulder pads. His armor glimmered from head to toe. It was mostly steel with gold trim and parts of it were covered with his dark green cloak that bore the symbol of Captain of the Fel-Dunel. "Ahh Fels you have returned.and what is this?" Asked Zethane pointing at Darenth. The sound of the Giant steel doors closing behind the hunting party filled the room and then quite. "We found him face first on the ground north east of the fork of the river Sirion." Said Celenas. "It is a miracle he is alive.He is bleeding badly and has been poisoned. So if you would excuse us Zethane." Said Zello in a commanding tone. "Of course.go right ahead. except you Celenas.i want to speak with you." Zethane motioned the others off as he and Celenas walked to the side. "Celenas where did you find him?" Zethane asked curiously with a concerned look on his face. "I told you. Relax we followed procedure he was drugged so to not remember where or how he got here." Said Celenas with a relaxed look on his face. "You know people are free to come and go as they please.but try not to drag in any more strays.especially when they are as beaten as this one." Said Zethane with a almost irritable tone in his voice. "But you didn't see what he did to get like that. From what the others and me can tell he is from Gondolin. He slayed two elite orcs whose bodies we found down by the riverbed. This man could be a powerful ally." Said Celenas still holding his relaxed look. "Maybe you are right Celenas.I am sorry for what I said earlier.you may go. Oh and where is your food that you collected?" Said Zethane. Celenas smiled and handed Zethane his pack, which was full of meat, and berries they had collected. Celenas walked down the hallway after his hunting party and Darenth.  
  
"I have done what I can." Spoke the cleric woman in a soft voice. "Only time will tell." She said smiled and walks away to another patient. Zello, Haref, and Algale all stood around his bed. Darenth's memories came back to him as he opened one eye and then the other. He looked up to see Haref's cheerful smile, Zello's goofy grin, and Algale's Cloak covered face he could was smiling as well. "What-the.Where am I? Who are you people?" Said Darenth puzzled confused and scared all at once. "You are safe I am Zello and this Haref and Algale. What is your name?" Said Zello pleased that the man could talk. "We found you face down in the dirt covered in blood." Said Algale interrupting Darenth trying to figure out how he got there. "My name is Darenth and that's a funny story." Before Darenth could speak anymore he began to cough but it settled after a moment. Instead he pointed to his pack and they handed it to him. He opened his pack and handed him the scroll with the directions of how to get to Fel-Dunel. "Do you know how I can get there?" Asked Darenth eager to hear their response. At that moment Celenas walked into the room. "What did I miss?" He asked. "Oh not much," Said Haref "It seems our friend here wants to know how to get to a place called Fel-Dunel." Said Haref handing him the scroll. "This is a.One of the original scrolls the only other one of these I have seen was held by king Menglar himself." With that Celenas turned to Darenth and asked him "Where did you get this!?" "From my father." Said Darenth. "Can you help me get there?" Asked Darenth. "There is no need to.." Said Algale. With those words Darenth feared the worst that the city had died out. "You are already there." Said Algale now removing her hood and letting her long brown hair fall down and touch the sides of her cloak. "You are in Fel- Dunel my friend." Said Zello looking down at Darenth. Before either of them could speak another word the Cleric woman walked up and realized that they were talking to Darenth. "OH! your awake! Excellent well you must go back to sleep you were badly poisoned and have a broken rib and have lost a lot of blood." "Yes mam' we will go" Said Celenas. "We are going to borrow this ok Darenth?" He said pointing towards the scroll. Darenth nodded and shut his eyes as the thought of his mother came back into his mind. This time he did not push them back for he had finished what she had set out to do. 


	5. Chapter 5: The Long Walk

**Chapter 5: The Hall Of Menglar**

**Tolkien owns all characters and places**

"Your presence has been requested before the lord Menglar." Spoke the cleric woman. Darenth put his feet on the floor for the first time in four days. He slowly stood and lost his balance and fell back onto the bed. "The poison may still be affecting your body." Said the cleric woman with a concerned look on her face. "No No, I am fine." Said Darenth with a smile on his face as he stood once again and kept his balance. "It's just been a while that is all." Darenth spoke as he looked over at the cleric woman. "Well if you are sure you are ok…" Said the cleric woman still with a concerned look. "Yes I am fine and I from what you tell me I must really be going." Spoke Darenth as he turned and went to walk out. He stopped just before the door and turned around to look at the cleric woman. "Thank you." He said with a smile on his face. The cleric woman nodded and Darenth turned and left the room. He walked out of the room into the hallway, which went both left, and right. "Great." He thought looking both ways "Now I'm lost…but at least I am out of that bed." "You look like as lost as the moon in sun's light." Darenth turned to see the woman who had told him where he was. "I am Algale," She said before Darenth could say anything. "I am one of the hunting party that found you. The king wants to see you. Come on." "I-" Darenth began to speak but was cut off by Algale. "Just come on." Darenth nodded and followed her.

As he walked behind her he could hear talking and laughter and other noises coming from the many halls that branched form the one they walked down. He looked up along the top of the hallway to see mirrors. Many mirrors made of silver that was spaced about the same distance. The mirrors line every hall he saw. Each mirror glowed as bright as the sun, however they did not hurt the eye to look upon them. "What are the mirrors for?" Asked Darenth breaking the silence. "Ahh the mirrors… Well I will let you find out." She spoke then turned around and smiled at him and continued to walk again. They came to a spiral staircase that went both up and down. He noticed that the mirrors also went both up and down. The stairs continued to wind down and began to make Darenth dizzy. "Wow…" He said putting his hand on his head. "Dizzy huh? Its best not to look at the ground." She said with a snicker in her voice. "Are you laughing at me?" Darenth asked. "Yes, yes I am." Algale said now laughing out loud. Darenth smiled and then began to laugh as well. Finally they came to an archway leading out of the stair well. They walked through it, however Darenth noted that the staircase continued downward. They walked down a long hall, the mirrors on both sides of them. The long corridor had doors on both sides. "What…. Where are they?" Asked Darenth curiously and breaking the silence that had once again settled on them. "Oh, The doors?" Darenth nodded and she continued. "This is where the people live. Most of the rooms are full but there are a few empty ones." Algale said looking back at Darenth and slowed her pace so they were walking next to each other. "What about-." Darenth began to speak but was cut off by Algale. "Shh, Lord Menglar will answer any questions you may have." Algale then put her arm out in front of Darenth stopping him and grabbed his hand and pulled into a small hallway that broke off of the main corridor. "What?" Asked Darenth. "I want to ask you something but you cant tell anyone I asked you." She said very quietly almost whispering it. He nodded to her. "What was your fathers name?" She asked Darenth as both excitement and anticipation built up in her eyes. "Dar-Nuth…Why?" He said wondering why she would want to know. Algale smiled and then spoke, "I can't believe it…but you would have to no reason to lie. Come we must be on our way." With that she walked back out of the hall and into the main corridor and continued onward. The hall went on for some time, as did the mirrors. Many halls split off and went different ways. The hall finally came to an end. Darenth turned around to see the stairs they had came down but could not it was to far away. Darenth turned back around and looked at the end they had come to. It was a huge Archway laced with gold and a shining black metal. At the top of the Archway was a huge golden circle and written below it in elvish were names. That laced up and down the interior of the Archway. He tried to read the names, but was interrupted by Algale. "It is the Archway of Fel-Dunel." Darenth turned and looked at her. "What is all this?" "It is the names…" Algale said looking at a particular one then looking back down at Darenth. "The names of those who fought and died to create this place. The live on forever here…come on, Lord Menglar wanted to see you several days ago." They walked toward the staircase. "Its ok." Darneth thought " I will look at it more later."

The walked down the stairs and to another archway. After they walked through the archway, which Darenth studied with his eyes as he passed under, he looked in front of him and had to wipe his eyes to make sure he wasn't going crazy. "I-…can't believe it…." Darenth said as his eyes widened. "Hm? Oh the Trees? Yes we can grow them here…This is the hall of Menglar." She said and her eyes gazed the whole area. Darenth did not respond only he stood there and looked…Trees in front of him as far as the eye could see. He felt better than before, stronger…back to his old strength. The trees went about 200 yards to the left and the right. The ceiling was almost impossible to see. "You know…We could stay here all day or we could move on and I could show one of the most amazing things you will ever see." Algale said with a small smile on her face as she began to walk forward. Darenth smiled and moved forward after Algale. Darenth continued until they came to a halt in the middle of the room. He looked down at the ground and realized his shadow was gone. He felt a warmth inside him, one that he hadn't felt since it had been tore away when he entered this underground kingdom. He looked up to see the brightest thing he had ever seen. It was bright but did not hurt to look upon. It was a giant disk of pure light that sat flat on the ceiling and filled the whole room with light. The light raided into his very being and filled him with warmth and strength. "Its where the mirrors light comes from…They all reflect from this." Said Algale looking up at the giant disk and back down at Darenth. Darenth simply stared at it. "We call it the Star Mirror." Algale spoke once again. "It holds the light of the evening star." Algale spoke and walked toward Darenth. "It…is amazing…" Darenth finally spoke. He smiled and looked at Algale. "Well, We should be going correct?" "Yes we should be going…" Algale said as she turned and began to walk once again. He felt like he was moving more quickly and fluidly now that he had been filled with that blissful energy. He had wondered how all these elves could bear to be away from the sunlight and the trees underground. It would seem that both of those questions had been answered. They came to a halt in front of two giant double doors that arced at the top. Two royal guards, at least that what he was guessing they were, stood in front of them. Algale walked up to them and said something to the guard on the left. They made some kind of a salute where they brought their left arm across their chest to there right shoulder and bowed. The guard yelled some word Darenth did not recognize and the doors slowly parted. Algale did not wait for the doors to open; she walked through the opening crack and Darenth followed. The doors began to close and did so with a boom. The walked through the barely lit halls until a mirror came from some part of the ceiling into the room farther down the hall. The came finally to another double arced door. Only this door was shorter, it only came about ten feet off the ground. Algale pushed the doors open and stepped into the room.

There stood Celenas or whom he thought was Celenas. And next to him sat an adult elf. He sat in a throne that appeared to be made of wood that grew from the floor to the ceiling. The wood had elvish words engraved in it in some shinning silver metal. The elven man finished speaking to Celenas and stood up. He stood about 5'10", He wore a Black rode laced with gold around the cuffs and the collar and a great elven symbol in the middle. "I am Menglar King of Fel-Dunel." Spoke the elven man in a calm cool voice. "I am Dare-." Darenth began to spoke but was cut off by Menglar. "Darenth you need no introduction. I know who you are…Darenth Fleer of Gondolin and Son of Dar-Nuth." Darenth stopped a second and wondered how this man knew so much about him. "Yes..I am, But how do you know that?" Darenth asked curiously. "I knew your father of course. And how is your mother? Still in Gondolin?" Menglar asked with deep concern in his eyes. "No…I am afraid … she did not make… she was claimed by the river Sirion." Darenth said hanging his head. "Wait…" Darenth said almost excitedly. "You knew my father?" Darenth spoke now looking up with hope in his eyes. "Why yes, I knew your mother as well. I used to live in Gondolin. Until me and your father and several other hundred elves all left the city late one night. Your mother could not make the journey because she was pregnant with you. We went searching for a place to call our home and found a cave in a mountainside. Originally the cave was a straight path to the area we now call the Gel-Thak. We believe that this place was some sort of a orc mining site." Menglar stopped and took a breath of air. "Why didn't my mother come sooner?" Darenth asked, as Menglar was about to speak. "She could not with a young child and she didn't want to risk the journey with you so young." Menglar said and turned back around and sat in his chair. "How did my father die then…If this place was abandoned when you found it?" Darenth asked. He never knew how his father had died his mother has always told him it was while he working. "He… Fell in combat…You see your father had just returned when."…


	6. Chapter 6: The Fall Of A Legend

**Chapter 6: The Fall Of Dar-Nuth**

Tolkien owns all characters and places

"ORCS ORCS ORCS!" Selvie screamed as he ran down into the newly finished Gel-Thak. Dar-Nuth turned and ran up to him tossing him his sword and shield. Dar-Nuth stood six feet tall with broad shoulders and long golden-laced sword and shield.

"How many Selvie?"

"Hundreds maybe a thousand…"

"A thousand Strong…We have only two hundred here.."

"I know Dar-Nuth…Should we flee?"

"No…Menglar! A thousand are coming…."

Dar-Nuth said turning to Menglar who had just now walked out of one of the newly dug tunnels. Menglar wore Black armor and a long red cape. He unsheathed his long black sword. "Very well. Captain Dar-Nuth, ready the men." Menglar said as he smiled at Dar-Nuth. "You heard him men! Grab your spears and get into the walls!" Most of the tall elven soldiers grabbed spears and ran behind the walls. "Remember if we should fall here..Do not leave those walls lock the door from the inside." Dar-Nuth commanded. The rest of the elven soldiers had tall armor with long two sided swords. "Stand ready men!" Menglar yelled. Dar-Nuth, Menglar, Selvie, and a handful of elven soldiers stood in the Gel-Thak as orcs charged down the hall. The orcs saw only there next meal closer and closer with each step. "Wait for it!….NOW!" Dar-Nuth shouted as about 90 spears came through holes big enough to stick a spear through on both walls. The 180 spears tore into the orcs unarmored sides and just as fast as the spears had gone out they came in and the orcs bodies hit the floor. More and more orcs came charging down the long less and less dieing by the spears each run. Some orcs used their shields to block one side just to be stabbed in the other or in the back. Others picked up two dead orcs on each side and used their bodies as shields. Thirty orcs using these methods charged into the main hall. "CHARGE!" Dar-Nuth and Menglar shouted. Dar-Nuth brought his shield up to his chest blocking the orcs spear and brought his sword down boring it into the orcs skull. He put his foot on its shoulder and yanked his sword out and swung it around cutting another orc in half. Menglar swung his one handed sword with two hands. It was his theory this gave better control and speed and so a shield wasn't necessary. He cut down two orcs with one swift stride of his sword at head level. Selvie threw his shield into one orcs throat killing it instantly. He then drew his elven short sword. An orc swung his sword waist level at Selvie. Selvie blocked with his long sword and jabbed his short sword into the orcs throat. Most of the orcs fell within moments of entering the room. Several elven soldiers fell as well. "There are just to many of them!" Selvie said blocking and slashing with his two swords. "Hold on they are almost spent!" Dar-Nuth said throwing his shield as well knocking over two orcs. He ran up to the first one and swung his sword in a downward arc killing it, raised his sword up again and bore it down into the second orcs chest. Dar-Nuth looked over at the hall. It was filled with bodies so high up the orcs had to pull their dead out of the hall so they could get through just to be killed themselves. Dar-Nuth smiled, There couldn't be very many more. He unsheathed his elven short sword. It was Silver and the handle was made of a smooth wood laced with gold. Dar-Nuth looked around the room to see he and Menglar and Selvie were the only ones left. However the floor was littered with orc corpses. He could barely see the floor! "So much death…Why do they keep coming…What did we ever do to them?" Selvie spoke as he looked up and meet eyes with Dar-Nuth. "Look out!" Dar-Nuth shouted. But it was to late. An orc brought his sword down onto Selvie's Right shoulder pad with such force it pulled him straight to the ground as it peeled through his armor like butter. "Selvie NO!" Dar-Nuth shouted as he ran for the orc. Menglar turned to see Dar-Nuth running for the orc as it raised it sword up. Menglar began to run for the orc as well. The orc smiled as it began to bring its sword down to finish Selvie. The sword stopped in mid air as Dar-Nuth's short and long sword crossed stopping the sword. Menglar brought his sword across the orcs back slicing it clean in half. The two-orc pieces hit the ground. "Dar-Nuth the hall! You must hold it I will tend to Selvie!" Menglar shouted. Dar-Nuth hesitated for a moment turned and ran back to the entrance slicing down the orcs that had been lucky enough to get to the end of the tunnel. "Selvie…I will put you in the Spear wall." Menglar spoke as he tried to pick him. Selvie screamed as he did. "Don't!" Selvie managed. "I want to help you fight….Give me that bow….And the arrows…" Menglar grabbed the bow and the arrows and handed them to Selvie. "Here…Stay back and stay safe." Menglar smiled at him, grabbed his sword and ran over to help Dar-Nuth. Selvie put the arrow and the string in his right fingers and pulled the bow forward with his left arm. He released the arrow and watched it fly across the room into an orcs throat. The orc grabbed at the arrow fell over and died. "This is pretty easy." Selvie said thinking out loud. "Their! The orc lines come to an end!" Menglar shouted aloud drowning out all the screams. "How can you tell!" Dar-Nuth shouted. "I can see the light from the surface again!" Menglar yelled with a small laughter.

Their moment of happiness was cut short as the light was once again cut off. By the "artillery" of their battle force. "No one said anything about that…" Menglar said slicing down another orc. "That is not possible….I didn't see that before…" Selvie shouted from behind them. The tunnel was filled with a different kind of light. That from the flaming skin of a Balrog. "A Balrog!" Dar-Nuth shouted. "Hold your spears!" Dar-Nuth shouted. "What are you doing?" Menglar yelled. "If the Balrog sees that it is being attacked by enemy's hiding in the walls it will crush the walls…and all over our men." Dar-Nuth quickly explained as he spun his sword around him into the throat of an orc. The Balrog pushed itself down the cramped hall. Its shoulders touched both walls and scorched the solid stonewalls. The orcs pushed their way into the room, being rushed by the beast made of fire. Several orcs pushed there way past Dar-Nuth, less concerned with him than they were with the Balrog, past Dar-Nuth and Menglar. The first two fell as one arrow went from Selvie's bow through both of their throats. Dar-Nuth spun a full circle with his sword out cutting down several of them. Finally the last orc came into the room and fell as soon as he entered. Dar-Nuth and Menglar took a step back as Selvie slung two arrows. The Balrog stepped into the room and shook off the cramped feeling and spread its wings and closed them again. The balrog pulled at its side and with a quick flick revealed its fiery whip. Selvie released his two arrows as they bored themselves into its chest. The balrog let out a terrible cry and flinched in pain. It flicked its whip and slung it around Selvie's foot and threw him into a wall across the room. Selvie did not move nor try to recover. "NO!" Menglar and Dar-Nuth Shouted together. The both raised their swords and charged. It swung its left claw at Menglar as he ducked and jammed his sword up into the beast's ribs. It cried out and pulled its left claw backs again and hit him with the back of his hand. Menglar hit the wall with a thump and got back up, grabbed his sword and charged back to the beast. The Balrog turned to Dar-Nuth and rose up its whip and brought it down toward to Dar-Nuth's head as he raised his right arm, which held his long sword, to block it. The fiery tendrils of the whip wrapped around the sword as the two pulled for it. Dar-Nuth swung his short sword up slicing the Balrogs wrist. It screamed with a howl that shook the room as it dropped the fiery whip. Menglar Jammed his sword into the Balrogs back and pulled it back out again before the Balrog could counter. It arced back and screamed; Spun around and batted Menglar again, this time into the ground. He slowly recovered as the Balrog turned back to Dar-Nuth. The Balrog put its hand together as a spike of fire rose from its left wrist. The fiery sword was attached to its wrist and about four feet long. It swung down its sword as Dar-Nuth crossed his swords to block it. The force of the blow knocked Dar-Nuth back onto the ground. The Balrog quickly ran over to Dar-Nuth and rammed its sword into his stomach. Dar-Nuth screamed in pain as the fire sword pierced his right side and burned shut the wound instantly. Dar-Nuth part smiled as he grabbed his short sword and jammed it into the Balrogs throat. The Balrog went to grab it but was to slow. It tried to scream stumbled back ward and fell onto its back as its fire disappeared. Menglar ran over to Dar-Nuth and looked at his side. "…I wont lie to you..The only reason you are still alive is because the fire sealed your wounds." Menglar spoke softly sitting down next to Dar-Nuth. Dar-Nuth stared up at the ceiling and finally spoke. "I want my son…to have my…Sword…and the one that I slayed the Beast with……Take care of him….Good bye my friend." Dar-Nuth spoke his last and drifted away. "Damn You…." Menglar screamed.

"That is how your father died Darenth." Menglar spoke. He looked up at Darenth whose eyes were tearing up as he tried to hide it. "We hunted the orcs who fled for three days…until we came upon them and slaughtered them in the nights cover." Menglar said with a small smirk on his face. Darenth looked up as if he was about to speak but was cut off by Menglar. "Now Darenth Son Of Dar-Nuth Former Captain of Fel-Dunel I give you the sword of your father." Menglar said as he stood and turned to face his throne of wood and golden lace. Darenth now noticed something he had not noticed before a sword with no sheath. The branches that held the sword in place began to move and lifted the sword up and glided it down to Menglar's hand. Menglar took the sword with two hands and turned to Darenth. Darenth looked down at his sword, which he had made, and fitted into his father's sheath. "Darenth Son Of Dar-Nuth I give you your fathers sword…I just wish I had the knife that had slain the Balrog. It was lost being sent to you." Menglar said as he handed Darenth the sword. Darenth unsheathed his sword and handed it to Algale. He took the sword from Menglar and sheathed it…It was a perfect fit. "Oh by the way Lord Menglar…Were you talking about this short sword?" Darenth said pushing his cloak aside and unsheathing the short sword. Menglar's eyes widened as he gazed his eyes once again upon the curved hand made elven blade know as _Giliath._ "I can't believe it… The blade…Star…." Menglar said in utter astonishment. "Star?" Darenth said curiously. "Yes the word Giliath is its name which means star…it was forged at night only and was thought to carry the light of the stars themselves. Take it…It is yours to keep now." Menglar smiled and sat back into his throne. Darenth sheathed the "Star" blade and smiled back. "Now…" Menglar spoke with a more serious and professional tone. "If you want to stay here you will need a job…and I am going to assume you want to stay?" Menglar said with anticipation. Darenth nodded and Menglar continued.

"Very well,…Celenas!"

"Yes sir!"

"Your last amount of food was not enough so I am permanently assigning you a new member…Darenth."

"Very good sir."

Celenas looked at Darenth and nodded. "You start tomorrow I will have a guard show you to where your new living are will be." Menglar smiled and stood up. Shook Darenth's hand and sat back down. "Fels…Your are dismissed." Menglar said with a nod. Darenth did not move for a moment then realized that he was a Fel now to and followed them out. The Chamber was entirely empty accept for Menglar, King of Fel-Dunel. "So he has returned…and perhaps not a moment to soon." Menglar spoke quietly thinking out loud.


End file.
